The Squirrel Gang Has Arrived

December 21, 2018

Over 100 life-size bronze squirrels have made their new home at Crystal Bridges! “Squirrel Gang” by Charley Friedman was recently installed in our Contemporary Art Gallery Courtyard. The work is free to view!

Our trails are home to different species, including the Fox Squirrel and the Eastern Gray Squirrel. Squirrels are known for being chatty, fast, and playful, which the artist shows off in his bronze versions. Charley Friedman is a multi-media sculptor known for using humor and play in his works. “The glue that binds my work together is humor,” Friedman said. “For me it is the emotional ‘ah hah’ that I desire over any formal qualities. I want my viewer to feel before he/she thinks.”

When you come across the squirrels in the Courtyard, you’ll have caught them scampering about their daily lives. Keep these questions in mind to think about the artwork in a new way:

Where do you think the squirrels are going? Can you tell a story about what specific groups of squirrels might be up to? How do you feel being among them?

While family and friends are in town for the holiday, bring them to the museum to see the new installation! Share a photo of your visit to the “Squirrel Gang” on social media with #CrystalBridges. Plan your museum visit here, and don’t forget our holiday hours:

We’ll have an early closure on Christmas Eve (Monday, December 24, 2 p.m.) and will be closed on Christmas Day (December 25), which is a Tuesday (the day the museum is always closed). On all other days, the museum will be open at its regularly scheduled times.